Cedar Rapids buses go wireless

As part of a city-wide revitalization project, the city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has implemented a mobile broadband system on its buses aimed both at enhancing security and providing a useful and entertaining feature for riders.

Using a mobile mesh networking technology from Motorola and ITS software from Trapeze Group, the city’s fleet of 50 buses can now wirelessly connect to the Internet and city data network.

As a result, video surveillance cameras on transit buses can be remotely monitored, and streaming digital video entertainment will be provided to passengers. Riders can also connect wirelessly to the Internet.

The technology also serves as an automatic vehicle locating system without the use of GPS.